Each month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who exemplifies our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. This month, we are proud to honor Barbara Jost as our Amicus Mundi Award recipient. A powerhouse in administrative and energy law, Barbara embodies what it means to give back through pro bono service.
Meet Barbara Jost!
A dedication to public service: Barbara’s commitment to public service traces back to the start of her own legal career.
After graduating from Georgetown Law, Barbara clerked for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Office of Administrative Law Judges, setting the foundation for her lifelong focus on energy law.
After her role within FERC, Barbara spent the duration of her career at Davis, Wright, Tremaine where she represented electric and gas utilities and industrials before FERC and in federal courts, before retiring in 2024.
Volunteering with the Federal Workers Legal Defense Network (FWLDN): Through We The Action, Barbara was able to reconnect with her passion for public service by providing legal consultations to federal workers.
Since joining We The Action in 2018, Barbara has contributed to over 11 different projects, with her most recent impact centered on supporting the Federal Workers Legal Defense Network.
Through FWLDN, Barbara has provided legal consultations to federal employees who were unjustly terminated and in need of critical legal resources.
“I was once a federal worker myself. I have an appreciation of how hard you have to work and how you have to be to dedicate yourself to public service. [...] I feel bad that during [FWLDN] interviews, federal workers sound hurt. I am helping people who are lost.”
Barbara emphasized how We The Action continually supports volunteers and encourages any lawyer to take their first call: “[We The Action] has really done a bang-up job recruiting lawyers who really know employment law to help guide us.”
A life committed to justice and advocacy: Barbara credits her former firm, Davis, Wright, Tremaine, for supporting her and other attorneys with pro bono opportunities.
“Sometimes these cases are not just meaningful — they’re fun. You’re working for the underdog. And when you win? Wow, that’s great.”
Barbara also has a long history supporting voting rights, volunteering for election protection efforts through the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and joining her synagogue’s nonpartisan initiatives, such as Get Out The Vote and its Gun Violence Prevention Committee.
“Voting rights have always been important to me. Now, supporting federal workers feels like a natural extension of that mission.”
Congratulations, Barbara, on behalf of our community of 54,000+ lawyers!
Get involved: To learn more about how to volunteer with the Federal Workers Legal Defense Network, visit workerslegaldefense.org, or sign up for another project through We The Action today!